Carolingian Cross
A pleasing design, representing the Holy Trinity for some people, or to others, Sacred Geometry.
Carolingian Cross
Carolingian Cross
A variation of the Everlasting Cross is the Carolingian Cross, named after the Carolingian dynasty, a Frankish noble family that can be traced back to the seventh century. One member of this family, Pepin the Short, was crowned King of the Franks by the church, who saw this as a useful way to extend their authority over the secular world. A later and greater Carolingian monarch was Charlemagne, crowned in 800 A.D. making Western Europe an extension of the Roman empire.
Coincidentally, the cross has a similarly sounding name to Cardinham Cross, an ancient Celtic Cross found in the walls of the 15th century village church of Cardinham, near Bodmin, Cornwall, England. This Cardinham Cross incorporates the Carolingian design.
Triquetra
The Carolingian Cross is made by extending the lines of a Triquetra (from the Latin tri 'three' and quetrus 'cornered'). In Christian art, the triquetra represents the Trinity as one God. The triquetra is found also in Celtic knotwork, sometimes referred to as a Knotted Cross or Celtic Twirls Cross, and is popular with Neopagans to represent the interdependence in nature of Land, Sea and Sky, or the spiritual interdependence in man's Mind, Body and Soul.
Other three-legged symbols include the Triskele and the Tomoe. This is a symbol of three commas or teardrops, chasing one another round a circle, and used by Buddhists in meditation.
In Japan both the Triquetra and Tomoe are used as kamon, a sort of heraldic coat of arms (ka means 'family' and mon means 'crest'). Like European heraldry, kamon were used especially in battle to identify individuals or members of a clan. They were first owned by the aristocracy and later rolled out to anyone associated with that community. The Triquetra symbol is the Musubi mitsugashiwa crest. Kamon are still used by Japanese, especially as decorations on their formal kimono.
A note about 'Sacred Geometry'
Such beautiful geometrical designs are often used in examples of mystical Sacred Geometry. We are not delving into that area on this website, but accept it is a fascinating subject. Studying the nature of forms such as the triquetra can help gain insight into mystical laws of the universe and its origin. There is little doubt that if the universe had been created as a random chaotic mess, then it could be put down to accidental evolution. But when living organisms grow in precise and replicating patterns, as they often do, time after time, then it's hard not to conclude there must be an intelligent force driving all this.
Our science, our knowledge of the universe, is currently severely limited. Cosmic energy seems to be mainly 'dark energy' (73%) and 'dark matter' (23%). This is the stuff that is believed to hold the universe together and accelerate its expansion, but mankind has not yet identified the nature of this energy and matter. The remaining 4% consists of atoms and molecules that can be identified by mankind (or rather, a clever subset of mankind). Despite this, some people consider Sacred Geometry to be more acceptable than religions such as Christianity.
Where Sacred Geometry comes unstuck, however, is any attempt to supply an answer to the question: 'Why?' Sacred Geometry is not in the same league as reason, hope and love. Things beyond the rational, such as emotions, insights, desires, forgiveness and internal peace. The Carolingian Cross and similar geometric crosses are beautiful and curious, but do not offer salvation.
Fortunately, we simply have to turn to a monotheistic religion, such as Christianity, to address such issues.
See also Everlasting Cross
